National Republican., 1887-01-07

Mr.. Manderson brought up the case Of
the claim against Mexico for the killing of
Capt. Emmett Crawford (n command of
United States troops in pursuit of Geron-
imo) by Mexican troops In Mexico In jan
uary, 1886, stating that a stronger and more
urgent demand for indemnity should be
made, and introducing bill for the relief
Of Capt. Crawford's heirs. The bill was re-
ferred.
MIR. Allison offered q resolution calling on
the Secretary Of War for the report OF the
board Of engineers on the bridging Of the
Mississippi river near st. Louis.
The resolution gave rise to q discussion
between Messrs. Allison and Vest, in which
the latter declared that the report called
for (being adverse to the bridge) had been
obtained under ex parto proceedings, aud
unfairly.
Tho resolution was adopted.
The Senate then took up the resolution
offered Wednesday by Mr.. MCPHERSON, call
ing on the Secretary OF the Treasury for
statement OF the Indebtedness Of the Pa
ci6c railroad companies TO the government
and as TO the effect Of the funding bill
thereon.
Mr.. Hoar withdrew his amendment (call-
ing for additional statement as to the dis
pnted questions between the government and
the companies), stating that his object
would be equally effected under the origi-
nal resolution.
Mr.. Edmunds said that the report of the
commissioner of railroads, Gen. Johnston,
answered every question in the resolution
completely, fully, and in detail. AS to the
latter part OF the resolution, It requested
merely an opinion on the subject Of arith-
metic. II the senator from New Jersey
wanted 1t, he (Mr. Edmunds) had no OBJ
lection.
The resolution was agreed to.
The Senate, then, On motion OF Mr..
Mitchell, of Pennsylvania, took up the bill
giving pension of g, 900 year to Mary
S. Logan, widow of John A. Logan, as
major general Of volunteers-Mr. Mitchell
stating that the bill proposed to do pre-.
cisely what was done for the widows OF Gen.
Hancock and Gen. Thomas.
Mr.. Maxey would prefer to have some
further explanation Of the bill. There was
great'distinction between the case OF Gen.
Logan and the cases of Gems. Hancock and
Thomas, who had spent their lives in the
army. In so far as a pension was con-
cerned, he thought that the case of Gen.
Logan should stand on the same principle
as that OF other citizens IL he contracted
in the army the disease from which he died
that would be an ample ground for a PEN
Mr.. Mitchell stated that he had heard
Gen. Logan say he had been wounded Eve
times, and that he was undoubtedly en-
titled to pension, but had never claimed
one. He based this bill on the proposition
that the pension is granted to the widow of
citizen who died from the effects Of dis
Ease (rheumatisml contracted In the service
during the war. He referred to the analog-
ous case OF the pension given to the widow
Of Francis p. Blair.
Mr.. Cullom stated that Gen. Logan had
contracted rheumatism ON the battle field
OF Fort Donaldson, where he lay in the snow
oil night. There was no question that he
died Of rheumatism contracted in the SER
vice Of his country.
Mr.. Sewell said that he had frequently
heard Gen. Logan describe his suiferings
from rheumatism in the different fields OF
the war. 1t was so patent to every mem
Logan's death was due to that cause that
the committee did not take the trouble
to go further into the subject.
Mr.. vest offered an amendment fixing
the pension Of the widow of Francis P.
Blair at $4,000 year, asserting that II the
widow and family Of any man were to be
paid out Of the treasury In proportion to
his public service, 1t was the widow and
family Of Francis p. Blair.
AT the request of Mr.. Hawley and other
senators he withdrew the amendment, aud
then the bill was passed without division.
MIR. Vest thereupon introduced bill in
creasing the pension Of MIS-. Apollna Blair
from $50 month to $4,000 a year, and at
his request the bill was Immediately con-
sidered and passed.
On motion Of Mr.. Edmunds the bill to
carry into effect the treaty with China for
the suppression Of the opium traffic was
taken up and passed without division.
The Senate then resumed consideration
OF the interstate commerce BILL and Mr..
Platt continued his argument. He said
that 1t was not necessary to apologize for
the time consumed, or to be consumed, by
him IN this discussion, because there never
had been, probably, In the history of this
government bill under consideration that
would inevitably affect, either directly or
remotely, such great financial and indus
trial interests as this bill. It would reach
every hamlet, every industry, every labor
ing man, and every laboring mans family
in the United States with Its effects, either
OF evil or OF good. Senators were not here
to make raid on railroad property. They
were here to do justice by the railroads
and by the people. They were here to hold
the scales Of justice with even hand, and
not to act upon prejudice. An unremuuer-
alive rate was just as unreasonable and as
injurious as too high q rate, and the rail
road companies would have to see to tiff
the public welfare was to be promoted
that remunerative rates for freight and
passengers were received.
He characterized the two clauses (as to
"the long and short haul" and to prohibit
pooling) as most glaring inconsistency,
which recalled the couplet:
You're damned you do,
And you're damned If you don't.
He also argued that the effect of the bill
would be to place the American railroads
ESQ far as the business from the west to the
Atlantic seaboard is concerned) at the
mercy Of the Grand Trunk railway OF Can
ada. AS to the intimation that 1t would be
necessary to adopt the conference report In
order to have any legislation on the subject
at this session be did not think 1t was well
founded.
Mr.. Morgan stated the reason which
would influence his vote against the bill.
He was not content with 1t, In respect of
its practical effect on the people Of his own
state. Alabama was at the farther south
ern margin of the United States. The mar
kets in which her people bought their dry
goods and a large part OF their groceries
were at the far northeast, and there was a
broad intervening area between them. The
markets In which they bought their food
pplies-Chicago, st. Louis, aud Cincin-
nati-were also Far distant from Alabama.
The markets In which they sold their
prooucts were all distant. They had vast
tract OF country to cross In getting either
TO the market Of purchase or the market of
sale, so that he thought that any bill which
forced the railroad companies to raise their
charges on freights for long hauls would be
necessarily inimical to the best interests OF
his state. That practical statement of the
reasons why he opposed the bill would be
quite sufficient, he said, to justify him in
the course he felt compelled to take
toward 1t. But he had other reasons. ( He
then proceeded to argue that the states
were perfectly competent to deal with this
subject, and that the interference OF the
federal government would lead to still
further invasions, until the management OF
a1A